ASHEBORO — The Asheboro City Council met Thursday, May 4, with various property matters on the agenda.
The council first held a public hearing for a zoning request to rezone 1.4 acres located between 2307 and 2333 US Highway 64 East from R-40 Low-Density Residential to B2 General Commercial that was tabled at last month’s meeting.
“As we look at the city’s long-range plans and land development plans for guidance, this area is designated and has been designated for a good while as an employment center,” said Community Development Director Trevor Nuttall. “It’s intended to integrate a mixture of commercial, office and institutional industrial and open space uses with sidewalks, street trees, on-street parking, open space and that’s really intended as these utilities come online for the area. That is what the plan envisions for this area.”
Following the hearing, the council approved the rezoning request.
“I’ve advocated for years between the county and the city that some depth of all of [Highway] 64 is commercial,” said Mayor Pro Tem Walker Moffitt. “It should be zoned that way, and the housing become existing non-conforming as opposed to doing this one parcel at a time.”
The council then approved a resolution approving the issuance of Multifamily Housing Revenue bonds in an amount not to exceed $10.79 million by the Asheboro Housing Authority to finance improvements to the Asheboro Summit Apartments.
“As most of the council knows, this particular property has been a sore subject here in town,” said Mayor David Smith. “Our fire department has some real issues, the council hears about these issues, but unfortunately, we can’t do anything other than minimum code requirements because it’s a private property. So we welcome the opportunity to get that building rehabbed.”
The council also approved a resolution amending the Recreation Services Policy Manual Article XIV – Sunset Theatre to allow the Social District regulations to apply to events at the theatre as determined by the Recreation Services Director or their designee.
“This all stems from a previous conversation we had to have staff start looking into the possibility of alcohol at the theatre,” said Recreation Services Director Jonathan Sermon. “This can be based upon the event and if the organization that is renting the facility wants to take part in it or not.
“We already have two provisions that allow alcohol. One is for nonprofit fundraising events, and the other is for nonprofits to actually obtain an ABC permit and sell their own. So this is just an addition that allows for the extension of the ability to have alcohol at the theatre.”
The change applies to the Recreation Services Policy Manual, and it gives patrons the option to carry alcohol into the theatre from providers within the Social District at the discretion of whoever is renting the theatre.
The council then approved resolutions setting a date for public hearings for four annexation requests for properties located at 521 Kelly Circle, Zoo Parkway, across from the intersection of New Century Drive and Veterans Loop Road, and at the intersection of Old Cox Road and Old Humble Mill Road.
The council also approved a contract to purchase a parcel of land on North McCrary Street in order to erect McCrary Park Interstate signage.
“The city is looking to purchase property adjacent to McCrary Park and US Business 220 for interstate signage for the ballpark,” said Assistant City Engineer Spencer Patton, EIh. “The property is 0.249 undeveloped acres, and it was previously NCDOT excess right-of-way.”
“With setbacks, it’s not buildable, probably,” Smith said. “It’d be a challenge to build anything on it besides a sign.”
Along with the approved contract, the council approved a budget amendment of $16,000 from the General Fund to the McCrary Ballpark Fund for the property purchase.
The Asheboro City Council will next meet June 8.
